Re: [tlug] [REMINDER] "Defending the Creative Commons"

[Matt Doughty <wyndigo@example.com>]

On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 03:14:05PM +0900, simon colston wrote:
> 
> All I objected to was the suggestion that 'we rely on a commonality for
> understanding' was 'not true at all' but it obvious that you don't think
> that.

Ah yes, I'm guilty of hyberbole yet again. ;)
I didn't mean to imply that their is no need for commonality.

> 
> Re-read what I posted and you'll see that you are living in the same world
> as me.  I'm not saying that people should refrain from using
> words in new ways.  I explicitly stated that the evolution of language is
> necessary and, of course, the only way that can happen is by someone
> somewhere creating a new definition for a word whether by design or
> accident.  The problem is that by using a new meaning the speaker
> increases the chance of being misunderstood.
> 

I read what you said to mean "yes language does evolve, but you really shouldn't
use words in new ways if you want to be understood".  I took this to mean you
viewed such new usage as a inherently bad thing. It seems that we are in 
basic agreement that it is necessary evil, but the speaker should be aware of
the dangers of such redefinitions. Glad to see we live in the same universe. ;)

--Matt